FaceTime on iPad 2

With the launch of iPad 2, Apple has also enabled FaceTime for use with its new built in cameras. The iPad 2 has two cameras, a front facing VGA camera and a 720P HD rear facing camera and both can be used with FaceTime.

You’ll see two cameras on iPad — one on the front and one on the back. They may be tiny, but they’re a big deal. They’re designed for FaceTime video calling, and they work together so you can talk to your favorite people and see them smile and laugh back at you.3 The front camera puts you and your friend face-to-face. Switch to the back camera during your video call to share where you are, who you’re with, or what’s going on around you. When you’re not using FaceTime, let the back camera roll if you see something movie-worthy. It’s HD, so whatever you shoot is a mini-masterpiece. And you can take wacky snapshots in Photo Booth. It’s the most fun a face can have.

FaceTime for iPad will allow you to make video calls to another iPad 2, iPhone 4, new iPod touch 4 or even to a Mac. However you must still be on a Wi-Fi network to use it -- still no 3G support.

Starting a FaceTime call is really simple. All you need to do is find your contacts name in your address book or favorites list, tap on the FaceTime button next to the name. This then sends an invitation to your friend’s iPad, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4 or Mac asking if they would like to join the FaceTime call. When accepted the FaceTime call begins and your friends face pops up on your device and vice versa.

The questions is, do you use FaceTime now on your iPhone 4, iPod touch 4 or Mac? Will you use it on the iPad 2? Is it the next great form of communication... or just a gimmick? Let us know in the comments!

Well , I need to get Snow Leopard to get facetime on my iMac ( I'm running Leopard ) and I need to get a iPhone 4 or iPod Touch 4 to use Facetime ( I'm with a 3GS - though I fully understand why it can't do facetime) ... so to me right now it's a gimmick. Although the iPad 2 ... iPhone 4 has other improvements other than a front facing camera, It's the main feature at the top of the list. I've used my 3GS next to a iPhone4 and other than the retna display , my 3GS performs just about the same way that the 4 does. I really don't see why machines running Leopard can't do facetime.... gimmick.

It's not a gimmick. It's just a feature that you haven't found a use for yet. For several people I know with the supported hardware, this is a great additional feature that they're really looking forward to.

FaceTime requires two people and I know very few people who has a device capable of FaceTime..
So unless the iPad or new iPhone has a feature I would find use for or benefit from , like 64GB flash for the iPhone , it's a gimmick.

I think its a great selling point but I just dont think that enough people are using it right now. I know with my folks living several hours away plus the business trips that I often have to take, I would love to be able to use this feature with my family but I cant justify purchasing a new device JUST for that especially if I just bought the product. Aside from that though, I think facetime is an excellent feature that was produced extremely well it just doesn't get used a lot. I mean come on, half the time you dont even wanna TALK to the people that your on the phone with much less look at them, lol.

Facetime is the primary reason I purchased three iPod 4s for Christmas. My kids and I use it to communicate when they are at school or extracurricular activites in lieu of a cell phone. Most of the places we go offer free wifi. And, we don't have the added monthly cell phone bill or a contract to worry about. Facetime is a wonderful feature. We also have set up a free texting ap, so GOODBYE expensive cell phones! :)

My girlfriend and I both have MacBooks running Snow Leopard as well as iPhone 4s. We live about an hour away and with work and everything, it's impossible to see each other every day, but we make a point to FaceTime for about an hour or so a couple nights per week. It's really great that I can call her computer from my phone and vice versa. I would be more likely to get an iPad 2 for FaceTime to be able to use it with the Mac/iPhone.

Yes, I use Facetime with my iPhone4.
It is great to talk with my friends in Switzerland.
The lack of cameras for Facetime / Skype was one (great) reason to hold the purchase of an iPad.
For me, now iPad is almost perfect.

I use both FaceTime and Skype (when in the woods without Wifi).
Mostly to talk to my niece and nephew or watch their figure skating lessons / hockey games / sledless sledding adventures from 1200 miles away. I use it with family members on occasion and we love being able to use it to show off nifty objects we've acquired or created or to demonstrate, for example, how to prepare this or that meal recipe or how to beat this or that level in the video game we are all playing.
For ordinary conversations, voice is fine enough. But when you live far from family, it's nice to get to see everyone's faces from time to time. Botched haircuts, missing teeth, etc., there are lots of reasons to video chat. I even FaceTime with the doggy; it's fun getting her riled up from so far away.
And look, I didn't even need to mention all the "sexy-time" possibilities...

You have to have WiFi to use skype and Face Time using iphone 4, ipad2 (when it releases) and ipod touch 4. if you know of another way to use these apps w/ out WiFi, please let me know. now that i think about it, i didn't even realize they had Skype video for these devices.

Facetime changes the way I play drinking games with my friends over the internet while I'm out of town. True story.
Facetime has let me see exactly two different sets of boobs. More than have ever been on Chatroulette in the last 12 months. Win.
Facetime will revolutionize the way businessmen watch porn. Goodbye productivity.

No, facetime in my circle is not a gimmick. As we have two new family members, family is snatching up facetime devices to keep in touch. I will tell you facetime has replaced Facebook in our family. For business Skipe seems to be more common, but more for voice calls. Funny though that Ventrillo is used quite a bit with my clients for conference calls. But for Video calls, Facetime rules.

One followup question: Since the iPhone is a (AT&T will offer) WiFi hotspot abilities, will the iPhone also do facetime over its own 3G? That is still the reason I carry a Verizon mobile MiFi device. We facetime driving down the highway.

Honestly, FaceTime was the main reason I held out until the iPad 2. No I don't use it every day, but it's an awesome tool when you need it.
My main question is (like asked above) what happens if you have multiple iOS devices on the same account? If you FaceTime me, will both my iPhone and iPad alert me, or am I going to be forced to create a new Apple ID to use it on the iPad?

If I make a Facetime call to an iPad2 (from iPhone 4 or maybe another iPad2), and it's not being used and in sleep mode, will it "wake up" to alert me that someone is calling? Or does the service require coordination between both users to make sure their devices are both on and ready to accept a request? If it wakes up and alerts me, then I see this better than a telephone in the house and will revolutionize the way people connect -- WITH MOBILITY (key)!

Well, I couldn't find where you can even use Skype on iPad2, so I shelled out the .99 to put it on my iMac, but my iPad has no contacts in it, and even when I added our own 2 email addresses, all I could do was look at my face on the screens, but it said the calls would not go through. I wasted 40 minutes trying to get FT to call iPad and iMac to call iPad with no luck. It's going to take a lot of research to get it going. I didn't have trouble with Skype setting it up.

We bought ipad2 specifically for facetime and it really is the business. With family and friends in the US, using facetime ipad2 to iMac it is perfect.
We stopped using skype because sometimes the call would drop and we always got feedback. Facetime is a huge step forward, picture clarity, ease of use and parents over 80 who set it up with no trouble. Then even upgraded their Mac to Snow Leopard first - well done Apple, gets my vote !

Living in Thailand my new iPad 2 cannot seem to access this application. Or am I just brain dead!! I have tried to ring my husband on his iPhone, but that will not work. I would love to know if this is typical for all in Thailand Bangkok.

First of all...I LOVE my iPad2!!!!
And....the FaceTime feature is the coolest thing I have ever done...just loving this new technology!!!!
Did FaceTime last night with my grand baby who we don't get to see very often.
My daughter law has an iphone4....so she downloaded FaceTime app and we just pushed a button and there they were.....thank u .....this is GREAT....GREAT...GREAT!!!!
We will be able to talk and see each other anytime we want!!!!

Can I FaceTime from my iPad2 with my own iMac at Home? I know is it possible to call to others by entering their email adress, but my iMac at home naturally has the same email adress as my iPad. Would be cool to call to home and talk to my family.

We had the same problem, so my husband just uses a GMAIL acct on the IPAD instead of our regular email. BTW, he has three email accts and gets email from all three on his IPAD; he was able to designate which one to use for Facetime somehow.

Hi everyone! I have two sisters in america and i wanted to buy an ipod for them so we can facetime with each other but they dont have wifi and i do..Is there another way how to facetime them for free or is there an app for it.. Please help!! Thanks!!

We have started using Facetime between our Mac and my husband's IPAD 2. I run Snow Leopard on the mac. When I call him on the IPAD from the Mac, his IPAD rings, but when he calls me on the Mac and it is asleep, nothing happens, even though Facetime is "on". If the Mac is not asleep, it works fine and I receive calls. Has anyone else encountered this problem? I want my sleeping Mac to ring!

before you buy and ipad2 got to apple support and see how many people cannot make facetime calls after they installed the new update . apple isn't even answering peoples problems. i luv apple but little by little I'm seeing more and more problems going unanswered in the support area of apple . don't believe me look for yourself